Classy Nidhaal nails her rivals
Nidhaal proved the undoubted class act at Salisbury as she ran out an impressive winner of the Listed EBF Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes.
Sent off the 5-4 favourite on the strength of an unlucky second in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Newbury on her most recent start, Ed Dunlop’s charge could be called the winner from some way out.
The daughter of Observatory hacked along under Richard Hills whilst most of her rivals toiled behind the fierce early gallop.
And although she tired slightly in the final stages, Nidhaal had already done enough to have the race in the bag, beating Saabiq by a length and a quarter with Jeanmaire running well back in third.
The winner was cut from 33-1 to 20-1 by VcBet for next year’s 1000 Guineas and left unchanged at the same price by Cashmans.
Nidhaal’s next challenge will come in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, with Dunlop preferring to keep the filly at six furlongs for this season.
“She won her race up the centre in the Princess Margaret and with no disrespect to Mixed Blessing, I think it is fair to say Kieren Fallon won that race for her with his decision to come up the stands side,” said Dunlop.
“She almost travelled too well today and we will try to cover her up for a bit longer in the Cheveley Park.
“She has always been quite a keen filly but ideally we would try to hold her run up for a surge up the hill at Newmarket.
“She is a great testament to all of the team because it hasn’t always been the plan to come here, in fact it was a little bit of an afterthought. But I am thrilled she is now a stakes winner.”
On a good day for the Hills team, the winning rider was completing a double having given his father, trainer Barry Hills, a double of his own when taking the EBF Lochsong Fillies’ Stakes aboard Tahrir.
Despite having been off the track for 40 days, the daughter of Linamix showed no sign of rustiness as she made every yard to take the spoils, gamely holding the late thrust of Clinet in a photo-finish.
“There haven’t been many suitable races for her recently, at least not against her own sex,” said Hills snr.
But having returned to action, there seems likely to be no resting for Tahrir.
“There is a Listed race next Thursday at Doncaster for fillies, the Sceptre Stakes, which we will have to look at now,” the trainer added.
The stable’s first strike had come under another of Hills’ sons, Michael, when Silver Dip reversed form with Sensuous as the pair came home first and second in division one of the EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Hills’ charge finished a length behind her rival when the pair came home down the field on their debuts at Newmarket last month.
But the 8-1 chance had clearly benefited for that experience and was always to the fore, battling bravely when it looked as if Sensuous was getting on top 50 yards out and rallying for a short-head verdict.
“She’s a nice filly in the making and she doesn’t want over-racing this year,” said the successful trainer.
“Michael thought he was going to win by a length but she just got a bit tired and she’ll improve. She’ll have one more start this season.”
The second division of the maiden went to 33-1 chance Aubaine, who stepped up dramatically on her racecourse debut as she scored under Robert Havlin.
Tungsten Strike made all to take the Dexia Private Banking “Persian Punch” Conditions Stakes under Shane Kelly.
The 5-2 winner picked up a penalty for next month’s Cesarewitch, but is unlikely to take that route according to connections.
But there was no crabbing the way the gelding pulled clear of his rivals in the final stages and the Amanda Perrett-trained winner clearly relishes quick conditions.
Richard Hannon has his sights set on a Listed race for Silver Blue after the improving colt took the HSBC Bank Dorchester Commercial Centre EBF Novice Stakes under Ryan Moore.
Sent on two furlongs out, the 5-6 favourite kept on well all the way to the line to beat Jadalee by two lengths.
“I thought the handicapper had gone mad when he put him in on a mark of 90 but it looks like he was right, so well done Matthew (Tester),” said the trainer.
“He ran a stormer at York last time and we’ll have to look for a nice race for him now. He’s a nice horse.”
The opening apprentice race fell to the Andrew Balding-trained Holbeck Ghyll.
